SAGINAW, MI — The 98th Michigan Women's Amateur Championship has narrowed down the field to the best 16 golfers into the state heading into Sweet 16 at the University of Michigan golf course.

And a couple Great Lakes Bay Region natives are in the running.

Kimberly Dinh of Midland and the University of Wisconsin is among the final golfers in the competition, and she's joined by Frankenmuth native and Western Michigan University golfer Kaitlyn Watkins.

The match play portion of the competition begins Thursday morning with the quarterfinals scheduled for the afternoon. The semifinals and finals are played Friday.

Watkins faces Jennifer Elsholz of Grand Rapids and the University of Toledo who won the GAM Women's Championship. Dinh is scheduled for the second pair to open the round of 16 against Wixom native and Eastern Michigan University golfer Sarah Johnson.

Dinh has had a successful summer before returning to school. She competed in the Michigan PGA Women's Open in June and shot a tournament-record 62 in the opening round and finished with the low amateur score for the second straight year.

Watkins has surged since stepping on campus at Western. She almost immediately moved into a contributing for the Broncos and competed in 8 of 9 competitions for the team, including a team-low score of 75 to finish 11th in the Mid-American Conference Championships.

Hole in one

• Tom Zeros aced the 145-yard No. 15 hole at Swan Valley Golf Club on Monday, July 28. Brian Ferguson and David Renden witnessed the shot. Zeros used a pitching wedge to sink his third-career ace.

• Charlie Bellinger, 75, of Saginaw aced the the No. 2 hole at The Sawmille Golf Club with a 6-iron. It was a 155-yard shot that was witnessed by Terry Kirkbridge and Dave Lutenski. He has six career aces.

Cory Butzin covers sports for MLive/Saginaw News. Email him at cbutzin1@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter.